Is there anything that represents childhood more than S’Mores? They always bring back sweet memories of summer evening barbecues, girl or boy scout cookouts, fires at the beach, and casual dinner parties. These S’Mores Bars always seem to have an essence of wood smoke – memories can be powerful.
When I was first diagnosed with gluten-intolerance, one ingredient that surprised me when I discovered they contained gluten was graham crackers. There went cheesecakes, S’Mores, and bar cookies among other sweets. What could I use instead of graham crackers?
Top: Layers of chocolate and marshmallows; Bottom: Hot from the oven
It dawned on me one day that almond meal and hazelnut meal were somewhat similar in texture to the graham cracker crumbs we are used to eating. And since I don’t have a nut allergy, they weren’t off limits.
Adding sugar and melted butter as called for in a cheesecake recipe yielded a beautiful crust. A little delicate and crumbly, but with the most lovely nutty flavor – it is less sweet with savory notes. The Artist now prefers it to a traditional crust!
For today’s recipe I used the same basic concept, using hazelnut meal to make the dough for two of the layers. It perfectly complements the chocolate and melted marshmallows. Not quite the same flavor combo we think of when we hear “s’mores”, but a delicious, less sweet version that makes it easy to create a gluten-free dessert with a crust.
Though not called for in the original recipe, I used a parchment sling to help me lift the bars out of the baking dish (you can see it above). Boy am I glad I did! The marshmallows melted into a lovely but very sticky sugar coating that adheres to everything. Next time I will probably use a double layer of parchment, one in each direction to get fuller coverage and make it that much easier to lift out of the pan.
If you love the idea of classic campfire treats but don’t want the hassle of making them over a fire, these S’Mores Bars are the perfect solution. Rich, satisfying, and oh so chocolatey – they are truly a dream dessert!
Happy Chocolate Monday ~ have a wonderful week!
How to make S’mores Bars:
- Butter a square baking dish and line it with parchment creating a sling
- Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy; mix in the syrup, egg, and vanilla
- Whisk together the flour, hazelnut and almond meal, baking powder, and salt; mix into the butter mixture
- Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the prepped baking pan to make a crust; bake 15 minutes
- Sprinkle the top of the crust with the chocolate chips then top with the marshmallows; dollop remaining dough over the marshmallows
- Bake until lightly browned; cool then cut and serve
Do I need a torch for the marshmallows?
No, they are melted in the oven along with the chocolate chips making this an even easier recipe!
PRO Tip:
Using a parchment sling (or two) is the easiest way to keep the cookie bars from sticking and easily lifting them out of the pan. Leave the paper long on two ends to create “handles”. Parchment is oven-safe, so you don’t have to worry about it burning unless it touches a heating element.
PRO Tip:
If the bars are too sticky to easily cut and serve, warm for about 15 seconds in the microwave. It will soften them and re-melt the marshmallows, making serving a lot easier. Using a hot knife will also help, just run it under very hot water, wipe dry, and then cut into squares.
Key Ingredients for this Recipe
- Butter
- Sugar
- Golden Syrup or light Karo syrup
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour
- Hazelnut meal and almond meal
- Baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum (if baking GF only)
- Chocolate chips
- Mini marshmallows
Kitchen Tools I Use to Make This Recipe (affiliate links)
Gluten-Free Tips:
Use a gluten-free flour blend, because you’ll need the combination of flours and starches to hold the batter together. Adding 1/4 tsp xanthan gum OR if you have trouble with gums, 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder to the dry ingredients, helping the dough hold together even more.
S'Mores Bars (Gluten-Free)
You'll be smiling ear to ear when you take a bite of these sticky, gooey, and chocolatey S'Mores Bars!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1⁄2 cup (1 stick, 113g) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Golden Syrup or Light Karo syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1-1⁄3 cups (160 g) gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (170 g) hazelnut meal or almond meal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1⁄4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum or 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder (use only if you are baking with a gluten-free flour blend)
Toppings
- 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
- About 3 cups (130g) miniature marshmallows, or as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with a sheet of parchment that extends beyond two of the edges to make a sling.
- Make the Dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the Golden Syrup, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and fully blended.
- In another bowl whisk together the flour, hazelnut or almond meal, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, mixing until blended.
- Prepare the Bars: Divide the dough into thirds. Press two of the pieces of dough into the prepared pan to make a base crust. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the crust, then scatter the marshmallows over the chocolate, covering them completely but try to keep them slightly away from the edges so they don't melt onto the pan. Use two spoons and scoop small dollops of the remaining dough over the marshmallows, forming a lumpy cobbler like top layer. Return the pan to the oven.
- Finish the Bars: Bake 10 to 20 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and transfer pan to a wire rack. While still a little warm, run a knife around the edges to release the sticky bar cookies. Cool completely. Use the parchment sling to lift the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into squares and serve.
Notes
Adapted from CoffeeMom on Food.com
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 137mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 3gSugar: 10gProtein: 7g
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First Published: 21 Aug 2017
Last Updated: 20 Jan 2020
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jamiemid
Blast it Jane! Here I was hoping you would post something I didn’t want to bake, or something that we all wouldn’t eat in a day or two. That was a vain hope! These look delicious enough to bring someone out of a coma. We could just wave a bar under a comatose patient’s nose, and voila – the Nobel Prize in medicine could be yours. Thanks for another amazing recipe. All I have today is Karo, but I will make them regardless, and I did order the golden syrup from Amazon. Have you ever tried Bird’s Custard Powder? Is it gluten free? Just curious because it comes up a lot in recipes. Whenever Monday rolls around the guys ask me what Jane posted, and will I make it. You are much revered by me and the men of the house.
Jane Bonacci
You are too funny Jamie! Karo is fine but Golden Syrup is better IMHO. After making these bars, I think I would put the entire dough in the bottom of the pan as the crust (cook a little longer until golden), then use the chocolate and marshmallows as the topping. Easier to make and cut! I have never tried Bird’s Custard Powder but based on a quick Internet search, it appears to contain gluten ingredients. Jell-O vanilla pudding may work for you. And tell the men in your home how much I appreciate their support!! <3